Congress President tears the copy of the bill tabled in the Assembly
The Karnataka Protection of Right to Freedom of Religion Bill 2021 was tabled at the ongoing winter session of the state legislature at the Suvarna Vidhan Soudha on Tuesday.
Karnataka government has tabled the ‘Karnataka protection of Right to Freedom of Religion Bill-2021’ seeking to prevent forceful conversion of religion in the state in the Assembly today. This bill aims to prevent forced conversions.
AntiConversionBill
Bill which aims to provide for protection of right to freedom of religion and prohibition of unlawful religious conversion by misrepresentation, force, undue influence, coercion, allurement or by fraudulent means has been tabled in the Karnataka State Assembly today.
“Many innocent people are being converted into other religions by taking advantage of the people’s poverty, helplessness. Our government will not tolerate such activities anymore,” said Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai.
Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai had added, ‘Attempts to convert the religion of the people by taking advantage of their poverty, helplessness and also luring them offering financial help have been observed in the state.’ He also added that ‘Conversion is not just increasing or decreasing the number but to change the thoughts of the people. First they lure the people and then it becomes a pain. Our government, society and country will not permit such activities.”
On the other hand, Opposition leader Siddaramaiah and KPCC President D K Shivakumar strongly opposed the tabling of the bill, which they said was discriminatory and against the Constitution.
D K Shivakumar tore copies of the bill and threw them on the benches while vehemently opposing the bringing of an ‘anti-people’ bill. Siddaramaiah said, “The bill has been brought and tabled in the Assembly in a hurry with malafide intention. Why did the Speaker not wait for all members of the opposition to enter the hall for the second half of the session before tabling the bill.”
Hence, inspite of a ruckus in the Legislative Assembly with opposition members raising objections, the much needed anti-conversion bill was tabled at the ongoing winter session of the state legislature at the Suvarna Vidhan Soudha on Tuesday. Speaker of the Assembly Vishveshwar Hegde Kageri informed that a debate on the bill will be held on Wednesday.
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